Defensive Woes Continue

Ross Kinnaird/Getty ImagesNastasic was on an island much of the day on City's back line.

Any time the City team sheet does not include Vincent Kompany, City fans should grab their paper air sick bags and prepare for hyperventilation if not outright nausea.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini started midfielder Javi Garcia at centre-back again today. It is getting to the point where one wonders whether City are trying to punish Garcia or make him want to quit.

Garcia was woefully out of position a few times, the worst occasion coming in the 14th minute as Jonathan Walters got behind him for a good chance on Hart's goal.

He also needlessly conceded possession in a dangerous spot in the 64th minute, by which time the match commentators were openly questioning why he was still out there, even feeling a bit sorry for him.

Matija Nastasic played extremely well. If he hadn't, City would probably never have escaped with the stolen draw.

Obviously, the injuries to Kompany, Martin Demichelis, Micah Richards and normal left-back Gael Clichy have City's back line in some disarray.

But Garcia at centre-back is a ticking time bomb City keep watching instead of defusing.

Possession Without Purpose

Alex Livesey/Getty ImagesCity had a lot of the ball but did almost nothing with it.

New manager, new aggressive style of football, same old City.

Roberto Mancini's teams were criticized for keeping the ball upwards of 65 percent of the time and never threatening. If you did not know better, watching City against Stoke you would think Mancini was still in charge.

Passing the ball around in a triangle at midfield for a minute helps possession statistics but, if anything, it hurts the effort to win.

Stoke's midfielders and strikers were provided with ample recovery time in the worthless moments that City held the ball without moving forward. Stoke's defenders were often free to pick out pretty faces in the crowd.

Road matches in the Premier League often dictate conservative play. But City's display at the Britannia was cautious to the point of absurdity.

City Have 99 Problems but Joe Hart Is Not One

Michael Steele/Getty ImagesHart might have a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder after the Stoke match.

For all the palaver about Joe Hart's failing form, if not for a couple of poorly defended set pieces at Cardiff City Hart might have been sitting on three straight wins entering play at Stoke.

Hart's performance at Stoke should buy him at least three days' grace, as he made crucial, spectacular point-blank stops on the all-too-many occasions where his defense completely neglected their duties.

Further, Hart was far more decisive and intentional with his actions. Watching him play with that assured mien was a pleasure, particularly given some of his less assured days in recent times.

Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic had a comparatively boring day, which he no doubt welcomed.

Begovic might even have had a stray thought along the lines of "thank heavens I did not sign with City."

Regardless, Hart's rock-solid performance between the sticks should be a confidence builder for both the keeper and his side as Champions League play beckons.